Banjo



R. A. CARLUCCI.

BANJO.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31| I921.

Patented June 13, A1922.

w/TNEssEs Arroflfrs UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ROCCO ANTONIO CARLUCCI7 0F WEST NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY.

BANJO.

To @ZZ cla/tom t may concern:

Be it known that l, Roooo ANTONIO C-ARLUCOI, a citizen of Test New York, in the county of Hudson'and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and lImproved Banjo, of which the following is a full, clear,'and exact description.`

The invention relates to stringed musical instruments and its object is to provide "a new and yimproved banjo arranged to increase the tonal qualities both as to volume and resonance.

Another object is to permit of conveniently and quickly adjusting the neck of the banjo relative to the body with a view to maintain the strings in the desired and correct position relative to the yfrets on the neck.

With these and other objects in view, the inventionconsists of certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described andv then specifically pointed out in the claims.`

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of ythisspecification in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in` all the views.

Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of the improved banjo;

Figure 2 is an enlarged. sectional side'ele vationof the same with a portion of the neck and head shown in elevation;

Figure 3 is a face 'view of the wedge for adjusting the angular position of the neck relative to the body, and

Figure 4 is a sectional side'elevation of the same.

' The banjo in'its general construction comprisesa ring-'shaped body 10, a neck 11 terminating in a head 12 provided with tuning keys .1i-lion which wind the ends of thestrings 14 stretched over the bridges 15 and 16 and fastened to the tailpiece 17, the bridge 16 restingon top of the parchment or skin head 18 and the bridge 15 being j mounted on the outerend of the neck 11.

The parchment head 1 8 extends over airing 20 held on the topof the body 10, and the parchment head terminates at' its edge in a flange 21 engaged by a ring 22 held in place-*by the usual bolts 23 engaging the bearings 24 attached to the peripheral face of the body 10. The construction so far described is thatof an ordinary banjoi `Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. March 31, 1921.

redge of the band 25 and theband the body 10 and to allow lilatentefll June 13, 1922.

Serial No. 457,222.

shoulder 26 formed on the inner face of the body 10. The band 25 is inclined upwardly and inwardly, and itsy upper edge engages the under side ,of the parchment head, 18 and projects a distance above the topl of the body 10, as plainly shown in Figure 2. `By this arrangement the parchment head 18 is stretched over the forms with the inner surface of the'body 10 a resonance chamber 27 closed at the bottoni by the band 25 engaging the seat 26 and closed at the top bythe portion of the parchment head 18 extending from the ring 2O to the Supper edge of the band 25. The. band 25 is provided with S-holes 28 for 'the escape of the sounds from the resonance chamber 27.

ln order to fasten the neck in position on of adjusting the neck 11 relative to the strings 14, the following arrangement is provided The base 3() of the neck 11 is provided with an embedded double nut 31 in which screws the threaded end 32 of a screw rod extending diametrically through the body 10, and the said nut is also engaged by a screw 34 passing through thebody 10 adjacent the base 30 rof the neck 11. A wedge 35 is introduced between the peripheral face of the body 10 and the base 30 of the neck 11. The thick or base end of the wedge is at the bottom of thebody 10 and by moving the wedge 35 up `or down the relative Vangular position be tween the neck 11 y and ythe body 10 is changed to move the frets 37 of the neck in f the desired relation to the strings'14. Thus the frets 37 can be moved nearer to or further from the strings 14 to suit the convenience of the player. Furthermore, the strain exterted by the strings 14 on the neck 11 `tends to throw the neckout ofalinementwith the strings, and by adjusting the wedge 35 the proper relation' between `the neck and the lstrings can be established,-it beingunderstood that after the Wedge 35 has been adjusted the screw rod 33 andthe screw 34 are screwed up to quickly fasten the base 30of the neck 11 to the body 10. The wedge 35 is provided with an elongated upper j opening 36 for the passage of the screw rod 33 and with a notch 37 for the passage oit the screw 254;. The wedge is iturther provided at one 'tace with transverselj,v extending parallel grooves 3S to permit ot readily breaking` olli' the portion oit the wedge that may project beyond the bottom ot the body l() at'ter the wedge has been adjusted as above explained. The wedge is also provided at the sides with notches 39 lwhich torni a` hold tor adjusting the wedge at the time the screw rod 33 and the screw 34: are loosened, as above explained.

ln order to prevent the body l0 trom being; warped or thrown out ot shape on screwing up the screw rod 33 use is made oli a tubular brace 4:0 abutting with its ends against the inner surface ol. the body lO at diametrically opposite points thereof and near the bottom of the body, as plainly shown in Figures l and 2. The screw rod 33 extends through this tubular brace 40 to hold it in position on the body l0.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as .new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:-

l. In a' banjo, a ringshaped body, a parchm'ent head held on the said body and an annular resonance chamber within the opening of the said body and having' its outer wall termed by the said body, the inner wall of the said resonance chamber1 being seated on the inner surtace oit the said body and being;r inclined upwardly and inwardly and in con tact at its upper edge with the under side of the said parchment head a distance inward from the said body, the said inner wall being provided with tone openings.

2. In a banjo, a ring-shaped body, a parchment head held on the said body and an annular resonance chamber within the opening ot the said body and having' its outer wall formed by the said body, the inner wall ot the said resonance chamber being' seated on the' inner surface oit the said body and being inclined upwardly and inwardly and in contact at its upper edge with t-he under side oit the said parchment head a distance inward -.trom the said body, the upper portion ot the said inner wall ot the resonance chamber projecting above the top ot the said body.

.ln a banjo. a ring-shaped body provided at its inner surtace with an annular seat, a parchment head attached to the said body and an annular band seated with its lower edlne on the said seat and inclined upwardly and inwardly, the upper edge of the band engaging the under side ot the parchment head 2x-distance inward and upward :trom the 4top oit the said body, the said band Forming with the said body a resonance chamber closed at the top by the parchment head, the said band havingfai-holes.

4t. ln a banjo, a body, a neck, adjustable means attaching` the said neck to the said body, strings stretched over the said body and neck, and an adjustable wede'e interposed between and positiwly and directly engaging the neck and body to adjust the neck rclatire to the body and the strings and to positively support and maintain the neck in adjusted position witl'i respect to the body.

ln a banjo, a body, a neck, a screw rod extending approximate] y diametrieally lengthwise oit the head and screwing,lr into thobase ot the neck to tasten the latter to the body. and a tube through which extends the said screw rod. the ends ot the tube butting aciinst the inner surtace ot the said body at diametrically opposite points.

(i. ln a banjo, a body., a neck, a screw rod extending*` approximately diametrically and lengthwise ot the head and screwing into the base oit the neck to Ytasten the latter to the body, a tube through which extends the said screw rod, the ends o't tbc tube buttinp,r aga-inst the inner surface ot the said body at diametrically opposite points,.and a wedge interposed between the base o'tf the said neck and the peripheral tace o'i the said body.

T. ln a banjo. a ringshaped body. a neck having; ai base and a double nut embedded in the said base, a screw rod extendingr diametrically through Athe said body and screwing in the said nut. a screw passingr through the body and screwing in the said nut` and a wedge interposed between the said base and the peripheral tace ot the said body.

Fl. lu a banjo. a body, a neck. adjustable means attachingthe said neck to the said body. sti' 01s stretched over the said body and nef and a` wedpe interposed between the said neck and body to adjust the neck relative tothe body andV the strings the said. wedge having parallel transverse grooves at the base end to permit ot breaking od the portion ot the wedge projecting beyond the under side ot the said body.

E). ln a banjo. a body. a neck, adjustable 1.ncans attaching' the said neck to the said body. strings stretched over the said body and neck, and a wedge interposed between the said neck and body to adjust the neck relative to the body and the strings. the said wedge having parallel transverse `:Irooves at the base end to permit ot breaking od' the portion o't the wedge projectingr beyond the under side ot the said body, the wedge havingr notches at the sides to provide a hold :tor adjusting; the wedge.

'ROCCO ANTONIO CARLUCCI.

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